Love. Love love love. Queer rep was outstanding, and ridiculously relatable. Out and proud, closeted, still figuring things out, it’s all here. It’s hilarious, and sad, which is a recipe for success for my personal reading preferences. The dynamic between Gwen and Arthur is my favourite! Those two are hilarious together! The banter is amazing, and just keeps getting better throughout the book. That’s the kind of relationship I want to have in my life lol.
Each piece of the story came together exceptionally well, and the narrators really crushed their roles. They brought so much to each character.
A solid YA historical fiction, if you’re looking for laughs and tears, and a solid queer rep. Loved it.

4.25ish stars

I really enjoyed this YA novel. There were some funny (and cheesy) moments as well as some serious scenes, and both contributed to the effective telling of this story. I liked but didn’t always love the major characters, and that’s because they were realistic, fairly well-developed, and therefore flawed but interesting people. I didn’t mind the dual perspectives for the story (or stories), but I would have preferred that each chapter alternated its point of view consistently rather than sometimes having large chunks of multiple chapters from one perspective as I found myself losing track of the other narrative. Overall, though, this story was a good one, and I’ll probably look at buying a copy for my classroom library. I’m really loving everything that the writer creates, especially the focus on creating diverse, queer historical fiction. (I also liked the title and absolutely loved the cover design/art for the book.) I can’t wait to read the writer’s next one!

This was my first Lex Croucher book and what a trip! While the title absolutely says all you need to know from the start (Gwen and Art are, in fact, not in love), there's a whole slew of events that unravel with plenty of twists and turns that keep you wanting to read more. Narrators Alex Singh and Sarah Ovens bring our main characters Gwen and Art to life with memorable voice acting and at a speed that is easy to listen to.

Gwen has been slated to marry Art since she was born, but she has always despised him. When he comes to court and they're forced to be playmates, chaos always ensues. It's unclear who hates each other more. Now, they are entering adulthood and must start the process of uniting their families, but they still loathe each other. They also definitely fancy other people. When Art discovers a secret about Gwen's true affections and Gwen also uncovers one about Art, they decide to join forces and fake their love for each other as a cover to explore their true affections with other people.

A classic case of fake dating, but one that doesn't eventually lead to them falling in love with each other. Instead, they come to terms with their identities and become close friends throughout the process. The book explores coming of age topics as well as the exploration of one's identity and sexuality.

Altogether, this was a really fun read! Croucher does an excellent job of developing characters so that they spring to life, and brings this historical fiction, queer, almost-retelling book to life and into the modern world!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a wonderfully funny tale of two closeted soon-to-be members of the royal court who cannot stand each other.

Gwen and Arthur, named after the famed Camelot lovers, have been betrothed since they were very young- but they also (mostly) hate each other. Arthur is handsome, but Gwen also thinks he is rude and very childish. Gwen is incredibly smart, but Arthur is tired of trying to live up to everyone’s expectations of him, including Gwen’s (and his father’s).

When the time comes for the two to begin their courtship, Arthur and his friend and protector Sid travel to England to spend a summer with Gwen and her brother Gabriel, the soon to be king of England. But when Gwen catches Arthur kissing another boy, and Arthur finds Gwen’s diary full of entries pining for another woman, the two find a way to team up to protect themselves and get what they want - other people.

Gwen, Art, Gabriel, Bridget, Sid, and Agnes are all problematic characters, and that is what makes them so real and lovable. Gwen is a straightforward, brutally honest, and scared person, which makes her snappy and sometimes rude. Art is tired of playing everyone else’s game, and at times he can seem aloof and brash. Gabriel is so scared of ruining his family name that he never thinks about what he- or the people he loves- wants. Bridget, Sid, and Agnes are all doing their best to keep their people safe, without dealing with stereotypes, bad attitudes, and unfair treatment by their royal loved ones. The growth of each of these characters is well-paced, and by the end of the book they all felt like my friends.

I read Gwen & Art as an audiobook, and I loved the narrators and their character choices. Having two different narrators for each of the protagonists as they switch POVs between chapters helps to define the characters and really bring them to life. The pace was great, the expression in both narrators’ voices was spot on, and the character work for both characters helps to round them out and make them believable and lovable.

I would recommend Gwen & Art for queer people and allies, people who love the renaissance fair, fans of classical stories reimagined, and romcom lovers.

Gwen & Art, officially the cutest book I will ever read, and I stand by that statement wholeheartedly. Nothing could have prepared me for how much I was going to LOVE this book! I am a huge historical book girlie, and this book was easily one of the best books I read in the historical YA genre. This was an unconventional retelling sort of book that had its grips so deep in me that I just couldn't put this book down!

All the characters in this book were really likeable, which was nice while reading because it really felt annoying to have to read scenes with any of the characters. They were funny, sweet, loveable, and just so preciously cute together that you can't help but falling in love with them all!

Their love stories deserve so so so so much love, because Gwen & Art deserved all the happiness in the world and they got exactly that. I am truthfully in desperate need of more of all the characters, it's never too early for a girl to dream of a sequel with more content right? This was genuinely one of the best books I've ever read and I can't wait to read more for Lex!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an eARC!

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is the story of two people in an arranged match who do not want to get married. Set in medieval times with castles and knights and Excalibur (well, Excalibur 9), it still feels modern. And it is extremely fun. If found family is one of your favorite tropes, this book is for you, because while Gwen and Art might not be in love romantically, they do come to love each other fiercely as friends.

This book is also a wonderful coming of age story. Gwen has a crush on Bridget, the only female knight in the kingdom, but she's been denying her feelings. As she and Arthur become friends, he helps her become comfortable in her own skin and chasing after the things she wants. He even plays matchmaker for Gwen and Bridget. Meanwhile, Gwen's brother Gabriel is struggling to find live up to his future role of king, but Arthur encourages him to be true to himself. Basically, Arthur is the wonderful glue that holds this story together. He's witty and has a big heart, even though he pretends to be a terrible person. .

This was so fun! Perhaps niche but if you, like me, are mourning the end of Ren Faire season, this might help to fill the void. Jousts, messy relationships, coming out, coming of age, and a princess betrothed to a man she hates while secretly in love with a lady knight—what more could you want? Alex Singh & Sarah Ovens really bring the humor and chaos to life with their narration and audiobook is definitely the way to go for this queer medieval rom-com!

I really enjoyed this audiobook! The narration was so good, it kept me interested and listening the entire time (my mind can at times wander while listening).

4.5

Wow this was an adorable YA romance with multiple well written relationships. Over the course of a summer we have enemies to friends and have one of the cutest relationship (Sid and Agnes) come to life.

This was a fast paced, fun read with a fresh new look on King Author history with a new queer twist on its history. Both the main characters grew on me throughout the book because they both were a bit annoying at the beginning but side characters (Bridget, Sid, Agnes and Gabriel) were definitely my favorite people in this book.

I received the audio and digital version and the dual narrators did a fantastic job. I highly recommend the audio version.

Thank you to Net Galley Wednesday Books and Macmillan Audio for my review copies!

3 stars

Not for me so I DNFd around 20%.

However this was well written so 3 stars. I could see this being someone’s 5 star but that someone’s just not me.

Not my type of sub-genre and I’m a mood reader so my genres depend on my mood 😬

This was a very enjoyable story. It’s a queer story set in the middle ages about Arthur and Gwen. Yes, Arthur is a descendant from THE Arthur, and he has been betrothed to Gwen since childhood. Of course we quickly find out that Gwen has a crush on the kick-ass lady knight Bridget Leclair. And Arthur is more interested in Gwen’s brother. This book is full of drama, comedy and knights.
I listened to the audio version of this book and enjoyed it a lot. The two narrators who read it did an excellent job. The guy who read Arthurs parts was especially good. I highly recommend this book.

4.5⭐️

One of my favorite books of the year! Croucher expertly balances lighthearted moments alongside more serious and emotional discussions in this epic and touching story about finding your voice and forging your own history. Gwen, Bridget, Art, and Gabe exhibited immense growth throughout the book and were deeply relatable and mature as they navigated personal journeys while confronting political upheaval. I loved each of these characters dearly and how their strengths and attributes complemented each other so brilliantly: Bridget’s bravery and loyalty, Gwen’s empathy and hope, Art’s spontaneity and tender heart, and Gabe’s leadership and conviction.

The only reason this isn’t a full five stars is because of the pacing in the second half. The first half is a fantastic romp, but the second half is slightly wonky with the battle and the ending a bit rushed - I wanted a grander finale for these four softies. But even with the wonky pacing, I still love this story immensely and will highly recommend to everyone!

These characters exhibited such bravery in a time when duty trumped love, but they forged their own paths to create a world and version of history where they and others could celebrate love and friendship without fear and hiding. While marketed as YA, I think this story is worthwhile for adult readers to pick up as well. It’s never too late to be who you are, choose your family, and forge your own path.

The audiobook narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters, their struggles, joy, and dreams to life.

This book was, as always from Lex Croucher, adorable. Arthur, a future lord and general and charming wastrel, is engaged to Gwendolyn, the princess of England. They have hated each other since childhood but knew that one day, they'd have to be married. Arthur's father sends him to Camelot to get to know his betrothed and within 24 hours, Gwen discovers Art kissing a boy and Art discovers that Gwen has a crush on the realm's only lady knight, Brigid Leclair. Highjinks ensue and Gwen and Art decide they'd make better friends than enemies.. Funny and sweet, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would.

*Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love is a charming charming comedy that takes place in a Medieval time centuries after King Arthur and the round table. I liked the callbacks to the story of King Arthur, the twist in Arthurian politics, how quirky the characters could be, the individual couples/romance story lines, and the overall direction of the story but I did find the romance a little underdeveloped, especially on Arthur's end, and felt like there was a little character development I was left wanting to see.

This is promoted as a quirkier YA romance and I think it really achieved that but I just feel like a slight shift in focus or pacing really could have pushed the story over the edge.

Narration wise, thee dual narration was very pleasant and fit the story well.

Omg I loved this so much!!! I’ve been having a very meh reading month so this was such a pleasant surprise!! The queer found family of it all was the true shining point of this story but literally every other aspect was so great too! Gwen & Bridget, Art & Gabe, Sydney & Agnes, the overall mystery, the atmosphere, the King Arthur aspect, the humor, just seriously everything was so good!! I cannot recommend this one more 😍

Humor in a medieval setting with a cast of lovable goofballs, this book is really great! The main characters had some insufferable moments at times and some tough topics including alcoholism and coming out are addressed with an efficient and relatable hand. There’s political intrigue and Arthurian touches (but it’s def NOT a retelling) with a pretty epic battle that I would normally not love, but I was actually even totally enthralled with that.
The audio is excellently done. I didn’t ever want to stop listening cause I felt like two of my best friends were just telling me their story. Love loved the female romance the most, but all the lovey sparks were sweet and well done. Highly recommend to fans of Arthurian tales and LGBTQ twists.

This is a charming queer romantic comedy set at Camelot hundreds of years after King Arthur. Despite the medieval setting and frequent (mostly amusing) callbacks to the Arthurian legends, it has a very contemporary feel. I loved the quirky characters, the banter, and the found family, although the romances were a bit underdeveloped. The book takes a surprisingly dark and violent turn towards the end as the political intrigue hinted at throughout the book suddenly dominates the plot, but the difficult situations force the lead characters into some much-needed growth, and I think the ending will satisfy romance lovers’ desire for a happy ending.

I found Art charming despite all of his flaws, and I absolutely loved the supporting characters Sidney, Agnes, and Lady Bridget Leclair. Princess Gwen and her heir to the throne brother Gabriel could be quite frustrating at times, but they become much more likable as they learn to live more authentically. I also enjoyed the animals, including a cat named Merlin/Lucifer and a crow named Morgana.

The audiobook production was good, and the duel narration by Sarah Ovens for Gwen’s point of view and Alex Singh for Art’s point of view enhanced my enjoyment of the story. Both narrators have pleasant voices and accents, good pacing and pronunciation, distinctive voices and speech patterns to suit each character, and the ability to convey mood and emotion effectively. The story works very well as an audiobook.

If you enjoy books by Alexis Hall and Casey McQuiston, you should give this a try.

I received a free advanced review copy of the ebook and audiobook through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

Gwen & Art Are Not in Love by Lex Croucher
Pub day is 11/28 🎉

Gwen and Art have been arranged to be married since Gwen was born and Arthur was two. When Arthur is sent to spend the summer getting to know his betrothed before their upcoming wedding, Gwen discovers him kissing a boy and Arthur uncovers Gwen's crush on the kingdom's only lady knight! 🤭 This premise!!!! It's perfect! They strike a deal to keep each other's secrets and pursue their own love stories! 💕

⚔️ The synopsis promised Heartstopper meets A Knight's Tale, and Lex Croucher delivered.
🐎 I love that this turns out to be an HEA x3! 👏
⚔️ I have always loved coming out stories and queer awakening stories. Other than Twilight, gay stories were pretty much the only fiction that captured my interest in my teen years. And I've definitely never tired of it. Gwen and Gabriel's (siblings not lovers, mind you) queer awakenings, their personal conflicts, and journeys are so different in this novel, but I really fell in love with both of these brave souls.
🐎 I loved the humor. Arthur really is something else. He banters and bickers with everyone. And his character arc also turns out to be so endearing, too!
⚔️I think I wanted a little more swoon in the Gwen and Bridget story, or perhaps just *more* of them together in general.
🐎 Lex Croucher books (this is the third one I've read) are not really historical romance... despite having romantic plots in historical settings. This book as well as Reputation and Infamous are more like... historical teens behaving badly and also kissing! Not a complaint, but it doesn't have the same pace or style of HEA as a historical romance and shouldn't be categorized as a histrom! 👍
⚔️To sum it up, this book starts off so freaking charming, gets surprisingly heavy, and ends happy!! In a nutshell, I got exactly what I wanted from a YA/NA, queer, historically set romance-ish, impossible-to-slot-neatly-into-a-genre story!

🎧 Both narrators were absolutely flawless. I loved their accents, their voices, and the vocal acting. The narration really brought the story to life. I think I would have enjoyed reading this as well, but I'm so glad I listened because it was easier to sink into the story with these lovely narrators! Highly recommend as an audiobook.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for access to an ALC!

Ok this one was adorable. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each Lex Croucher book I’ve read, but I loved the medieval setting more than the regency setting. I hope to get more medieval books from Croucher. I do wish there were more on the politics/background than just about the MCs, a bit more world building i think would have benefitted the plot.

This is a book that's a perfect way to dip your toes into fantasy. Being a YA novel, it grants such a wide range of accessibility in order to introduce to readers a light fantastical tale set in the world precedented by the legends of King Arthur. It subverts expectations with 2x the usual queer romance in romance books and a plethora of loveable characters that make this world feel fully lived in. My one nitpick critique would be the large ensemble, while necessary to the plot, at times causes the narrative to fall into a few YA tropes. Thankfully, Croucher combats these obstacles with engaging character development and a few unexpected surprises as well.